


New Beginnings

by dumdumbrendon



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Food Network - Freeform, Food Network Challenge, Injury, M/M, so much fluff it hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 19:59:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13841940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dumdumbrendon/pseuds/dumdumbrendon
Summary: As this years kids are introduced, and each one of them tells a little bit about themselves, Bucky stops eating as Alex, a small boy from Canada, pops up. He talks about how he’s the first Canadian, and how he wants to prove that Canadians bake just as well as American’s. He says if he wins the money, he wants to get a dog. Something about him makes Bucky turn to look at Steve.“This kid is you,” Bucky laughs, blue eyes bright. Steve furrows his brow a bit, but smiles.“If you say so..”As the episode goes on, it’s clear to Steve that Bucky is now invested in this kid. It happens every season, but for some reason, Alex has really found a place in Bucky’s heart, even though they’re only just been introduced to him





	New Beginnings

Food Network and HGTV are a lot of what is played around Steve and Bucky’s apartment. They both find Parks and Rec and the Office funny, and they don’t mind watching some movies, but if the television is on, it’s usually one of the two channels about decorating or eating. It’s not like they try to be gay stereotypes, it’s just that at 100 years old, they find that learning how to make spaghetti or redo a porch is more interesting than the Kardashians. 

Bucky’s sitting on the couch with his hair in a bun, sweatpants and an old white tee on. His feet are bare and he’s got his laptop open, a page about White Shepherds pulled up. HGTV is playing quietly in the background, Joanna and Chip going through a prospective house with clients. 

“Babe, it says here that White Shepherds are super smart, and good family dogs,” Bucky says, directing his voice over to where Steve is, about 8 feet away in their open kitchen. Usually Bucky is the one who cooks, but Steve had insisted on making their stir fry tonight, since Bucky had gotten home from a mission with Nat earlier that day. 

“Yeah? Maybe we can look into one…” Steve hums in thought as he lets the vegetables saute. Bucky beams and continues to scroll, looking at the medium sized dogs’ faces. He gets lost in the internet and doesn’t realize the food is ready until Steve is scooting him over so he can sit as well. He looks down at Bucky, placing a kiss to his guys cheek as he hands him his plate. 

“So, what’re we watching tonight? We still haven’t started Kids Baking Championship…” 

At Bucky’s nod, Steve pulls up their list of recorded shows, scrolling past Elementary and Treehouse Masters, clicking on the Food Network show. Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman are on the screen, talking about what the show is about. Bucky sucks up some noodles and looks over at Steve, giving him a smile. He was glad to be back with his best guy, watching tv and eating food, and not holed up in a shitty hotel in England with Nat any more. Not that he minded Nat, he was just ready for other human interaction. 

As this years kids are introduced, and each one of them tells a little bit about themselves, Bucky stops eating as Alex, a small boy from Canada, pops up. He talks about how he’s the first Canadian, and how he wants to prove that Canadians bake just as well as American’s. He says if he wins the money, he wants to get a dog. Something about him makes Bucky turn to look at Steve. 

“This kid is you,” Bucky laughs, blue eyes bright. Steve furrows his brow a bit, but smiles. 

“If you say so..” 

As the episode goes on, it’s clear to Steve that Bucky is now invested in this kid. It happens every season, but for some reason, Alex has really found a place in Bucky’s heart, even though they’re only just been introduced to him. The young boy burns himself trying to get his cookie tray out of the oven and he can hear Bucky make a small noise, like his breath is catching. Subtly looking over, Bucky is biting his lip, eyes wide as he watches the boy get treated and talk to his dad. The determination in the kids voice makes Bucky look at Steve again, as if to say ‘See? That’s totally you’! 

By the time the show is ending, and Alex lands himself in the bottom, Bucky’s holding his breath and looking tense. Steve curls in a little closer, admiring how cute his husband is. Alex stays and Bucky pumps a fist in the air.

Steve rolls his eyes and laughs.

“You’re a mook, you know that?” 

**********

“That’s ridiculous. That kid just put way too much fucking butter in that. Did you see that Stevie? Looks like somethin’ you’d do. He put four sticks in,” Bucky makes a face, shaking his head as he and Steve watch their now regular Monday night show. They’re curled up in bed this time, propped up against pillows and surrounded by a few blankets thanks to Bucky’s every shitty temperature regulation. 

“Looked like the right amount to me.” Steve says with a shit eating grin, which makes Bucky groan. 

“Pal, if you’re mother could hear you now,” he trails off, laughing. 

Alex, the tiny thing, comes on and talks about how food processors are confusing and Bucky snorts. “Told you he’s you.” 

Steve huffs but tightens his arms and pulls his attention back to the screen. The one boy says he’s going to make a snickerdoodle crust but without cinnamon. Bucky frowns the whole time the poor kid is on the screen, muttering about sugar cookies and how there’s a distinct difference. 

When Luke starts crying due to his crust being too thin, Steve makes a small noise and Bucky chuckles. “Guess I’m not the only one with a favorite.” 

The weeks go by, and they try to stick to their Monday night rituals. It’s hard five weeks in when they’re called out to Wakanda to help T’Challa and Shuri. But then Bucky and Shuri are scurrying off and when Steve and T’Challa find them, they’re in Shuri’s lab, sitting on the floor while Kids Baking Championship plays in front of them. 

“Honestly? I’m amazed that you have this much drive about watching it,” Steve laughs as he and the King of Wakanda sit down as well.

When Luke and Alex are in the bottom two in the eighth episode, both Steve and Bucky hold their breath. Bucky looks at his guy and Steve looks right back and they grab each others hand, deciding silently that they’ll be sad no matter what. When Duff calls Luke’s name, Steve drops his head in defeat. While he’s not looking, Bucky mouths a ‘yes!’ and then tries to console Steve by offering hot chocolate. 

The final three are Linsey, Alex and Abby. Bucky is laid up in their bed with three broken ribs. The serum hasn’t been working as fast since the last bout of cryo, which means he’s in more pain than his body should allow. Just for that, Steve wishes he could call Food Network and make sure Alex wins. Not that he wants the kid to win by cheating. But he just...Steve feels bad that Bucky’s miserable, especially on the night of the season finale. 

When it comes down to it, Linsey wins and Bucky tries his best to look happy for her, but Steve knows. He knows that his guy loves the little kid from Canada who reminded him of Steve. They turn on an episode of Parks and Rec and watch until they fall asleep. 

************

Bucky’s grinning a few weeks later, his phone in hand as Steve sits opposite him in the small coffee shop near their place. 

“What’s with the smile? Did Clint text you a stupid photo of Tony?” It definitely wouldn’t be the first time. Or the eighth. 

“Nah, I uh,” Bucky’s voice goes quiet and he looks up, a slight blush on his cheeks. Steve’s interest is now peaked. 

“I ended up finding that kid on social media...the one from the baking show? Alex?” Bucky says, and Steve knows exactly which kid he’s talking about even before he says the name. 

“I ordered a bunch of stuff from him, told him we’d come fly up and pick it up from him. I told him Captain America would come say hi. He told me he didn’t know who that was. Fuckin’ Canadiens,” Bucky laughs softly as Steve grabs his hand. 

“You’re….you’re a real swell guy, you know that Bucky?” 

Bucky blushes harder, trying to brush it off. 

“I keep seeing you in him. And I keep thinkin’ what it would mean to him, to have people want to buy his creations. I was thinkin’ about asking Tony if we could maybe make a deal with him? Help him open up his own bakeshop? I know he’s barely twelve, but this is his dream, you know?” 

Steve feels his heart almost burst and he leans over, kissing Bucky on the lips. 

“You’re a sap, and I love you. Now, let’s go find some good warm jackets for you, if we’re going all the way to Canada.”


End file.
